Stair-carpet cushioner



y 6 1929- A. J. M RPHY 1.721481- ST AIR CARPET CUSHIONER Filed Jan. 23, 1928 Patented July 16, 1929 UNITED: STA

duce the wear on the Ja re This invention relates to improvements in ALFRED J. Mummy;

TES.

PAT

or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.-

STAIR-CARPET cusHIoNEn.

Application filed. January 23', 1928. Serial no. 248,915.

stair carpet cushioners and it consistsof the matters hereinafter described and more particularlypointed outin the appended claims. 5 It is desired in the use of carpeted stairs to provide a carpet and stair treads, so that the stairs are easier to ascend or descend steps thereon. arerendered more quiet and less annoylng. resent employed usually consist of a yiel iiing of cotton or s in use. and absorbs dust and dirt so pad grate Such means as are at like filler which disintethat the stair carpet not only wears out qui ckly but becomesunsanitary.

The primaryv object of the invention is to rovide a simple and eflicient device adapted to be interposed between a stair step or tread and c arpet, which .will cushion the footsteps upon-the stairs andwhich will reand will be.

sanitary as it is'incapable of absorbing and.

holding dust and dirt particles.

stair carpet.

These objects inventiomtogether with others as well as the many advantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a some of the which my improved applied bene Fig. 2

vertical sectional View through steps of a flight of stairs to cushioners have been ath the carpeting thereon.

is a view in end elevation of one of my improved cushioners on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 8 is duced scale a top plan View thereof on a re-' with parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction thereof.

Referring ment of the comp anying now in detail to that embodiinvention illustrated in the acdrawing and especially to Fig.

1 thereof, 11 indicate the steps or treads and 2-2 indicate the risers of a flight of stairs of ordinary construction. When such stairs are embodied in a often-times not only for to silence to dwelling house it is desirable to carpet the same, the sake of appearance but also some extent the sound of footcushioning means between the;

and so that foot-.

steps thereon. Such a carpet 3 as is shown in Fig. 1 is in the form of a strip which is secured in place 1n any suitable manner to the bottom'margin of each riser as ,by a

' tacking strip or by a rod riser.

4 remo vably secured in eyelets 5'threaded in. place in the From the rod or tacking strip, the carpet extends over thelstep or tread and down over the front edge thereof tothe next strip or rod on the step below and so on. In some instances a soft yieldable Pad. of

felted cotton is disposed between the carpet: and step or tread but this pad easily dis-' integrates in use, is unsanitary in that it absorbs and holds dust and seems to make the carpet wear out quickly.

My improved cushioner, whichibest in dicated as a whole by the numeral 6 is made entirely of metal and comprises top and bottom elongated rectangular, and 8 respectively, each of metallic plates 7 the same shape and approximatearea as the steps or treads with which they are used. The front margin of the bottom plate is bent over to provide a lip or flange 9 that engages'the front edge of the step or tread, which front edge 'normally projects'beyond the plane of theriser just below the same. The I rear edge of the top plate as shown herein is bent over toward the underside thereof toform a hook flange 10 .to. receive therear edge margin of-the bottom plate with a hinge effect, while the front margin of the top plate is bent over to form a lip or flange 11 that has an edgelike engagement with the front face ottom plate.

lip or flange 9' of the b of the I also provide between said plates a plurality of laterally spaced yielding devices which may take the convenient form of each fixed at its rear end to of the top plate at a point from the lip 11 thereof. cushioner is placed upon a will be apparent that the spring fingers 12 ENT OFFICE. 1

the bottom plate near its rear edge, and each with its frontend bowed upwardly to engage the underside spaced inwardly When such a step or tread it carpet above the same is slightly tilted downwardly toward the rear, the front end of the cushion exerting a gentle upward thrust or pressure on the carpet which holds the carpet taut and smooth between adjacent holding rods i-l so that no wrinkles can form therein. Under pressure of a footstep the top plate moves toward the bottom plate with a yielding action in when such pressure is relea the manner of a cushion and sed the top plate edge of the step) tread, this action is trans.

ferred to the said lips. Thus the life of the carpet is not only prolonged but it is maintained. in a cleaner and more sanitary condi tion. It is not necessary to the intended purpose of the cushioner that the bottom plates benailed or tacked to the steps or treadsbut this may be'done if desired, as the carpet willjhold the device in position and prevent relative endwise shifting between the plates; The devices .may be. readily made in great numbers without the use ofeXpensive ma chinery. They are simple in construction and efficient in operation and not-only add to the comfort ofa home in which they are ins'talledibut prolong the life and maintain a sanitary. condition in the carpet.

While in describingmy invention I have referred in detail to the form and arrangementof. the parts thereof the same is to be considered as illustrative only so that I do not .wish to be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1 1 A 'levice of the kind described comprising a top plateand a bottom plate opera (iii tively connected together along one margin, a lip on the other margin of the bottom plate,

asecond lip on the top plate adapted to en ing a top vplateand a bottom plate operativ'ely' connected together along one margin v a lip on the other margin of the bottom plate, a second lip on the top plate adapted 'to engage the first lip and laterally spaced springs fixed at one end to one of said plates and ope-ratively engaging at the other ends with the other of said plates. I f 2 Y 3 r 3. A device of the kind described comprising a top plate and a bottom plate, one' of said plates having ahook flange at its rear to receive the rear edge of the other plate, a downwardly directedfiange at the front margin of the bottom plate,:a similar flange at the :frontmargin of the top :plate andadapted to engage the first mentioned .flange and spring means interposed between said platesand fixed at oneend to one of said plates and engaged'at the other end to'the other of said plates.

4:. A device of the kind, described compris i ing a top plate and abottom plate, one of said plates havinga'hook flange-at its rear to receive the rear edge of the other p'late,a downwardly directed flange; .at the front margin of thebottom plate, asimilar. flange at the front margin of the topqplate and adapted to engage the. first. mentioned flange and a plurality oflaterally spaced spring fingers each. fixed at one end to the rear margins ofthe bottom plate and each engaging at theotherend with the top plate near the front margin thereof. 1

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto. set myhand, this-19th day of January, 1928.

' ALFRED J. MURPHY. 

